Why are some here arguing for those that put Republicans back in power?

[Dawgs]

I'm seeing stuff like 'who can blame them for voting for Republicans', 'They've lost their jobs and are pissed, so they're taking it out on the Democrats.', and 'The Democrats didn't give them anything so they voted for Republicans or stayed home'.

Is that really the argument some of you want to make? That we shouldn't blame those that voted Democratic last time for voting Republican this time because Democrats didn't fix everything in 20 months? That putting the same people that caused the job losses are the ones that should be put back in power - because the Democrats didn't get all of our jobs back yet?

Is really how some of you think? Cause that's what many of you are saying.

[rocktivity]

1. Why argue that the Republicans ARE in power?

They've only got the House, we still have the Senate and White House. I thought two out of three wasn't bad.

:headbang:
rocktivity

[Dawgs]

10. You're right. I worded that poorly.

:hi:

[Codeine]

2. Oooh, another thread.

It's not about blame, it's about understanding. If you don't have a fucking job then some fool telling you to be patient isn't going to help. Spend a year or more unemployed and see how patient you are.

I know there wasn't time to fix the situation. I know Obama has created jobs in the face of overwhelming odds. I voted for the man and I'll vote for him again. that doesn't mean I'm not capable of analyzing why some shit went down.

[Dawgs]

7. Patience has nothing to do with what I'm saying.

I'm saying that voting for those that caused the loss of jobs over the one party that is doing everything to get them back is stupid. I don't know why I keep having to repeat myself with you.

If you don't think Democrats have done enough then I can't help you.

[doc03]

3. The largest employer in my area shut down

in April 2009 and it is still down today. The recession started with Bush but Americans want instant results and have a short memory. I talked to one of the guys that worked in that plant last week, I said if the Republicans get control of the Congress you may as well forget about any more unemployment extensions. He said he doesn't want any more unemployment extensions he wants a f-----g job. He has been laid off for a 1 1/2 years and has house and car payments and no prospects for a job paying more than minimum wage. Can you blame him for being pissed off when all he has heard for the last year is arguing about health care.

[Deep13]

4. Don't blame the messenger. nt

[Dawgs]

9. Huh? I'm not. I'm blaming those that are supporting those that voted Republican. n/t

[jberryhill]

5. Because failing to understand what may have motivated such voters is a mistake

Sorry, but whether or not you want to stick your fingers in your ears and go "LA LA LA LA" for the next two years, it is important to find answers to the questions of why candidates like Russ Feingold and Joe Sestak did not secure a majority of votes.

The reasons why such candidates did not win may not make logical sense, but there is going to be another election in two years, and if we expect to win, then we must find out how to understand and connect with whatever motivated a lot of folks to vote against their own interests.

[Dawgs]

8. Where did I say we didn't need to connect with these types of voters?

I completely agree with you.

[jberryhill]

13. Okay

But as jumpy as we are, I try to distinguish between someone attempting an explanation versus advocating a position

[HughMoran]

6. I agree - using words you'd expect to hear from an ignorant low-information reactionary

...is not productive IMO.

[laughingliberal]

11. It wasn't that they 'didn't fix everything in 20 months.' It was that they passed ineffective policy

and tried to sell people on how great it all was.

If they'd not promised that ridiculously low amount of stimulus they passed would keep unemployment at/under 8%, we'd have been in better shape. Also wasn't helpful that they spent a year after that agreeing with the deficit hawks making it impossible to ask for more stimulus. Then, after continuing to hand the banksters more money with no strings, the American people heard, "We have limited resources for this," at the jobs' summit.

Call me crazy but some people might have thought they didn't appear to care much about what happened to them.

[jeff47]

12. What's your counter?

Some loss of seats was inevitable. It's a midterm, and some seats always go.

But where this administration absolutely failed was in communication. So far, they've got a shitload done. Some could be better, but there's plenty to crow about.

But they never crowed.

Trumpeting their achievements would have damaged the moronic search for bipartisanship, so they kept quiet. Well, if you don't counter GOP lies for 2 years, you're gonna lose. Poll numbers started getting much better when Obama started campaigning in late August, but that's far too late to remove the calcified conventional wisdom. And incredibly stupid ideas like "Recovery Summer", and the continued insistence that the stimulus bill was "just right", did not help.

So yes, who can blame them for voting for Republicans, when the Republicans have been the only ones talking to them for the last two years?